Rotary engine.



E131 AV COPY J. H. VAN DBVBNTBR.

Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

WITNESSES A T'TDRNEY UNITED STATES ra rnnr orrron.

JOHN HERBERT VAN-DEVENTEB, Oi BUFFALQ, NEW YORK, A'SSIGN OR TO BUFFALOFORGE COMPANY, 01"! BUFFALO, NEW MK, A'C'QRPUBATION 0F NEW YORK.

comer mum.

and intermeshing tooth blades.

In general the objects sought to be obtained by the invention hereindescribed are substantially the same as those set iorth in my issuedPatent No. 996169 and my pending application, Serial No. 627166.

By my present invention I have sought specifically to provide a rotaryengine of the type having rotors, each provided with but one set ofright-hand and left-hand intermeshing tooth blades and having aplurality of fluid inlet ports. Thus a plurality of starting points isprovided for each bucket formed between the said intermeshing toothblades, thereby making the. application of motive power more uniformlydistributed, the torque on the rotors more constant and the motive powerof the engine greatly increased.

In the specification and the appended claims, the term fluid will beused as a general term for the pressure medium, but the engine isespecially adapted for the use of steam and obviously it is applicableto be driven with either steam or compressed air, as well as any fluidunder pressure.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of thisspecification in which like characters of reference indicate like partsthroughout the several views of which.

Figure 1 is a bottom view of my engine with the base shown broken awayand the inter-meshing tooth blades of the rotors shown in adiagrammatical manner. Fig. 2 is a sectional end elevation of my engineand is taken on line AB of Fig. 1 and shows the rotors thereof in adiagrammatical manner. Fig. 3 is a modified form of the engine shown inFig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, 8 represents the baseof my engine.

Specification of Letters Qatent.

Application filed Ami-122, 1912. Serial-No. 692,311.

of the opposite rotor.

Patented Aug. 12,1913.

= Rotatably carried by suitable bearings by the base 8 are rotor shafits9 and 10, upon which are rigidly mounted the rotors 11 and 12,respectively. Each of the said rotors is provided with a plurality ofright-hand spirally disposed tooth blades 13 and 13, which extend acrossthe rotors for substantially one-half of their length and a plurality ofleiit-hand spirally disposed tooth blades 14 and 14 are also providedwhich extend across the said rotors for substantially the remaining halfof their length. The said right-hand and left-hand tooth blades 13 and14?, respectively, are preferably shorter in length than the right-handand left-hand tooth blades 13 and 14, respeetively, and they aredisposed so as to make a less angle with the axes of the rotors than thesaid tooth blades 13 and 14. The said right-hand tooth blades 13 and 13'of one rotor are arranged to engage and mesh with the left-hand toothblades 14 and 14 The right and left hand tooth blades 13* and 14,respectively, meet and g'oin one another at the center of each rotor andthus buckets are formed by the said tooth blades whereby the propulsionof the rotors is made possible. -As the said tooth blades on oppositerotors mesh one with another, transmission of rotation is secured by thesaid rotors without the use of additional gearing.

Forming part of the base 8 is a rib' 15. The said rib extends across theentire length of the rotors and projects up in between the. rotors tothe point of intersection of the perimeters thereof and is in conformitywith the said perimeters and in bearing contact therewith. The extent towhich this rib envelops the said rotors is governed by the number oftooth blades in each rotor and the angle which the said tooth bladesmake with the axes of said rotors, it only being necessary that this ribextend around the rotors far enough so as to confine the fluid underpressure to any pair of meshing tooth blades until the same have ceasedto mesh or until each bucket formed by the said intermes'hing toothblades has developed its full capacity or volume. The rib may, ifdesired be continued around the rotors and substantially encase thesame. When so formed the said rib provides a casing in which the exhaustfluid will be confined and from which the same may be carried to anydesired place by suitable piping.

Formed by the junction 0 each intermeshin tooth blades 13" and 14 is anan ular poc ret 16 and at the junction of the 1ntermeshing tooth blades13 and 13 1s formed an angular pocket 17.. An angular pocket 18 is alsoformed by the junction of the tooth blades 14 and 14. Provided in therib 15 are a plurality of inlet ports 19 which are disposed referably ina horizontal plane and extend across and through the said rib. Thus whenthe fluid under pressure enters the said ports, it will be caused toimpinge on the tooth blades of each rotor at the same time. These portsare so dis osed that one will register with each 0 the angular pockets16, 17 and 18. Leading from the said inlet ports are vertical ports 20which communicate with the manifold port 21. The said manifold portextends across the base 8 to the outer end thereof where it isinternally screw-threaded and adapted to receive a fluid supply pipe 22.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, 23 is the base and24 and 25 the rotors. The said rotors, are rigidly mounted upon theshafts 26 and 27 respectively, which are rotatably carried by the base23.

The rotor 24 is provided with a plurality of right-hand spirallydisposed and intermeshing tooth blades 28 and a plurality of left-handspirally disposed and intermeshing tooth blades 29 and 29. is providedwith a plurality of left-hand spirally disposed and intermeshing toothblades 30 and also a plurality of right-hand spirally disposed andintermeshing tooth blades 31 and 31. The tooth blades 29 and 31 areshorter in length than the tooth blades 29 and 31, respectively, andmake an angle with the axes of the rotors which is less than the anglemade by the said tooth blades 29 and 31. The left-hand tooth blades 29and 29 on the rotor 24 mesh with the right-hand tooth blades 31 and 31on the rotor 25. Likewise the right-hand tooth blades 28 on the rotor 24mesh with the left-hand tooth blades on the rotor 25. The left-handtooth blades 29 meet and join the right-hand tooth blades 28 and therighthand tooth blades 31 meet and join the lefthand tooth blades 30 andthus form an lar pockets 32 and 33, respectively. The Junetions betweenthe toothblades 29 and 29 and 31 and 31 also formangular pockets 34 and35, respectively.

In the rib formed on the base 8 is provided two inlet ports 36 and 37which are so disposed that they register with the angular pockets 32 and34, respectively. This rib is provided with suitable orts for carryingthe motive fluid to the inlet ports in a The rotor 25 like manner tot-heother form of my invention hereinbefore described.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawing, it will clearlybe seen that thetooth blades 38 on the rotor 12, mesh with the tooth blades 39 and 40 onthe rotor 11 and thus form between them a bucket 41. The rotors beingeach provided with right and left-hand tooth blades, two buckets will beformed simultaneously but only one doublesidcdbucket will be formed atany one time. As the rotors are revolving, at substantially the instantwhen a bucket is started, the fluid under pressure is made to impingeupon the tooth blades forming such bucket. Thus an impact action issecured and, as the rotors continue to revolve, the capacit or volume ofsaid bucket is greatly increase by reason of the recession of the pointsof.

mesh of said tooth blades forming the said bucket toward the ends of therotors. It

will be seen that in my present invention,

each pocket has a plurality of starting points formed by the angularpockets 16, 17 and 18 in Fig. 1 and by the similar pockets 32 and 34 ofFig. 3. As the rotors continue to revolve, due to the fluid pressurecontained in the bucket, the tooth blades forming the side of saidbucket, when assing the inlet port 12, cut off the supply rom saidbucket. After the supply of motive fluid has been cut off from the saidbucket, the fluid contained therein will expand and exert its increasedenergy against the points ofmesh of the tooth blades forming the saidbucket. This expansion will continue until the bucket has developed itsfull capacity or volume,

or until the said tooth blades cease to mesh.

Obviously the ratio of expansion in the buckets may be changed byaltering the size and location of the mlet port or the angle and lengthof the spirally disposed intermeshing tooth blades.

As the fluid in my engine is admitted at the center of the rotors, theuse of cylinder heads or other bearing parts near the point of aplication of the motive fluid is eliminated and as the oppositelydisposed tooth blades meet and join and form angular pockets, ashereinbefore described, the leakage of fluid under pressure at thejunction of said rotors or its point of admission is made impossible.The only place in my engine where leakage of fluid may occur is betweenthe perimeters of the rotors and the rib but this may be reduced to aminimum as it is possible to make a very good and practicallynon-leaking contact or bearing between the said perimeters and the rib.My engine is therefore, very high in its efliciency.

Obviously some detail modifications of my invention as herein shown anddescribed may be made without departing from the spirit of m invenion orthe scope of the appended c aims and I do not wish to be limited to theexact. embodiment herein shown and 'described' Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is: I

1. In a rotary engine, the combination of two or more intermeshing andengaging ro-. tors, shafts secured in said rotors and rotatably mountedin suitable bearings, each of said rotors having a plurality of right.-hand spirally disposed tooth blades starting from a pluralit ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at one end thereof andextending toward the center of said rotors and a plurality of left-handsplrally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at the opposite end of andextending toward the center of said rotors, the inner end portions ofsome of said tooth blades making a less angle with the axes of saidrotors than the remaining portions, said tooth blades being so formedthat when they meet and join near the center of each of' said rotors,they form a plurality of angular pockets, and a fluid inlet providedwith a plurality of ports for conducting fluid under pressure to saidrotors, said ports being so located and formed that said conducted fluidwill be impinged within the angular pockets formed by said tooth blades.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination of two or more intermeshing andengaging rotors, shafts secured in said rotors and rotatably mounted insuitable bearings, each of said rotors having a plurality of right-handspirally disposed tooth-blades starting from a plurality 'ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at one end thereof andextending toward the center of said totors and a plurality of left-handspirally disposed tooth blades starting from a pluralityofcircumferential points on said rotors located at the opposite endthereof and extending toward the center of said rotors, the inner endportions of some of said tooth blades making a less angle with the axesof said rotors than the remaining portions, said right-hand andleft-hand spirally disposed tooth blades of one rotor meshing,respectively, with said left-hand and right-hand spirally disposed toothblades of another rotor, whereby buckets are formed between the meshingtooth blades of said rotors, and a fluid inlet provided with a pluralityof ports for conducting fluid under pressure to said rotors, said portsbeing so located and formed that said conducted fluid will be impingedwithin the buckets formed by said tooth blades.

In a rotary engine, the combination of two or more intermeshing andengaging rotors, shafts secured in said rotors and rotatably'mounted insuitable bearings, each of said rotors having a plurality of right-handspirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at one end thereof andextending toward the center of said rotors and a plurality ofleft-handspirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at the opposlte endthereof and eX- tending toward the center of said rotors, the inner endportions ofsome of said tooth blades making a less angle with the axesof said rotors than the remaining portions, said tooth blades being soformed that when they meet and join near the center of said rotors, theyform a plurality of angular pockets, and said right-hand and left-handspirally disposed tooth blades of one rotor meshing, respectively, withthe said lefthand' and righthand spirally disposed tooth blades ofanother rotor, whereby, buckets are formed between the meshing toothblades of said rotors, and a fluid inlet provided with aplurality ofports for conducting fluid under pressure to said rotors, said portsbeing so located and formed that said conducted fluid will be impingedwithin the angular pockets formed by said tooth blades. 1 i

4. In a rotary engine, the combination of two or more intermeshing andengaging rotors, shafts secured in said rotors and r0- tatably mountedin suitable bearings, each of said rotors having a plurality ofrighthand spirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at'one end 100 thereof andextending toward the center of said rotors anda plurality of left-handspirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at the opposite endthereof 1 5 and extending toward the center of said rotors, the innerend portions of some of said tooth blades making a less angle with theaxes of said rotors than the remaining portions, said tooth blades beingso formed 110 that when they meet and join near the center of each ofsaid rotors, they form a plurality of angular pockets, and a ribextending substantially parallel to the axes of said rotors'and incontact with the per- 115 imeters of said rotors for at least a portionof their peripheries, said rib being provided with a plurality of portsfor conducting fluid under pressure to the said angular pockets of saidrotors.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination of two or more intermeshing andengaging rotors, shafts secured in said rotors and rotatably mounted insuitable bearings, each of said rotors having a plurality of right- 1 25hand spirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located atone end thereof andextending toward the center of said rotors and a plurality of left-handspirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at the opposite endthereof and extending toward the center of said rotors, the inner endportions of each of said tooth blades making a less angle with the axesof said rotors than the remaining portions, said tooth blades being soformed that when they meet and join near the center of each of saidrotors, they form a plurality of angular pockets and a fluid inletprovided with a lurality of ports for conducting fluid un er pressure tosaid rotors, said ports being so located and formed that said conductedfluid will be impinged within the angular pockets formed by said toothblades.

6. In a rotary engine, the combination of two or moreintermeshing andengagin rotors, shafts secured in said rotors an rotatably mounted insuitable bearings, each ofsaid rotors having a plurality of righthandspirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at one end thereof andextending toward the center of said rotors and a plurality of left handspirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at the opposite endthereof and extending toward the center of saidrotors, the inner endportions of each of said tooth blades making a less angle with the axesof said rotors than the remaining portions, said right-hand andleft-hand spirall disposed tooth blades of one roto'r mes ing,respectively, with said left-hand and right-hand spirally disposed toothblades of another rotor, whereby buckets are formed between the meshingtooth blades of said rotors, and a fluid inlet provided with a pluralityof .portsfor conducting fluid under pressure to said rotors, said portsbeing so located and formed that said conducted fluid will be impingedwithin the buckets formed by said tooth blades.

7. In a .rotary engine, the combination of two or more intermeshing andengaging rotors, shafts secured in said rotors and rotatably mounted insuitable bearings, each of said rotors having a plurality of ri ht-handspirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at one end thereof andex-' tending toward the center of said rotors and a plurality ofleft-hand spirally disposed tooth blades starting from a'plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at the opposite endthereof and extending toward the center of said rotors, the inner endportions of each of said tooth blades making a less angle with the axesof said rotors than the remaining portions, said tooth blades being soformed that when they meet and join near the center of each of saidrotors, they form a plurality of angular pockets, and said right-handand left-hand spirally disposed tooth blades of one rotor meshing,respectively, with the said lefthand and right-hand spirally disposedtooth blades of another rotor, whereby, buckets are formed between themeshing tooth blades of said rotors, and a fluid inlet provided.

with a plurality of ports for con'ductin fluid under pressure to saidrotors, sai ports being so located and formed that said conducted fluidwill be impinged within the angular pockets formed by said tooth blades.8. In a rotary engine, the combination of two or more intermeshing andengaging rotors, shafts secured in'said rotors and rotatably mounted insuitable bearings, each of said rotors having a plurality of right-handspirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at one end thereof andextending toward the center of said rotors and a plurality of left-handspirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at the opposite endthereof and extending toward the center of said rotors, the inner endportions of each of said tooth blades making a less angle with the axesof said rotorsv than the remaining portions, said tooth blades being soformed that when they 'meet and join near the center of each of saidrotors, they form a plurality of angular pockets, and a fluid inletprovided with a plurality of ports each having lateral passages leadinginto said pockets, whereby the conducted fluid impacts in said pocketsand against said tooth blades substantially in the direction of rotationof said rotors.

' 9. In a rotary engine, the combination of two or more intermeshing andengaging rotors, shafts secured in said rotors and rotatably mounted insuitable bearings, each of said rotors having a plurality of right-handspirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at one end thereof andextending toward the center of said rotors and a plurality of left-handspirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at the opposite endthereof and extending toward the center of said rotors, the inner endportions of each of said tooth. blades making a less angle with the axesof said rotors than the remaining portions, said tooth blades being soformed that when they meet and, join near the center of each of saidrotors, they form a plurality of angular pockets, a rib extendingsubstantially parallel to the axes of said rotors and in contact withthe perimeters of said rotors for at least a portion of theirperipheries, said rib being pro vided with a plurality of ports forconduct-- ing fluid under pressure'to the said angular pockets of saidrotors.

- tably mounted in suitable bearings, each of said rotors having aplurality of right-hand spirally disposed tccth blades starting from aplurality of Circumferential points. 011 said rotors located at one endthereof and extending toward the center of said rotorsand a plurality ofleft-hand spirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at the vopposite endthereof and extending toward the center of said rotors, the inner endportions of each of said tooth blades making a less angle with the axesof said rotors than the remaining portions, said tooth blades being soformed that when they meet and join near the center of each of saidrotors, they form a plurality of angular pockets, and a ribsubstantially parallel to the axes of said rotors and in contact withthe perimeters of said rotors \for at least a portion of theirperipheries, said rib being provided with a plurality of lateralpassages leading into said pockets, whereby the conducted fluid impactsin said pockets and against said tooth blades substantially in thedirection of rotation of said rotors.

11. In a rotary engine, the combination of two or more intermeshing andengaging rotors, shafts secured in said rotors and rotatably mounted insuitable bearings, each of said rotors having a plurality of right.-

hand spirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at one end thereof andextending toward the center of said rotors and a plurality of left-handspirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at the opposite endthereof and extending toward the center of said rotors, the inner endportions of each of said tooth blades making a. less angle with the axesof said rotors than the remaining portions, said right-hand andleft-hand spirally disposed tooth blades of one rotor meshinrespectively, with said left-hand and righthand spirally disposed toothblades of another rotor, whereby buckets are formed between the meshingtooth blades of said rotors, and a rib extending substantially parallelto the axes of said rotors and in contact with the perimeters of saidrotors for at least a portion of their peripheries, said rib' beingprovided with a plurality of ports for conducting fluid under pressureto the buckets of said rotors.

12. In a rotary engine, the combination of two or more intermeshing andengaging rotors, shafts secured in said rotors and rotatably mounted insuitable bearings, each of said rotors having a plurality of righthandspirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at one end thereof andextending toward the center of said rotors and a plurality of left-handspirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotorslocated at the opposite end thereofand extending toward the center of said rotors, the inner end portionsof'eaeh of said tooth blades making a less angle with the axes of saidrotors than the remaining portions, said right-hand and left-handspirally disposed tooth blades of one rotor meshing,

respectively, with said left-hand and righthand spirally disposed toothblades of another rotor, whereby buckets are formed be tween the meshingtooth blades of said rotors, and a rib extending substantially parallelto the axes of said rotors and in contact with the perimeters of saidrotors for at least a portion of their peripheries, said rib beingprovided with a plurality of lateral passages leading into said pockets,whereby the conducted fluid impacts in said buckets and against saidtooth blades substantially in the direction of rotation of said rotors.

13. In a rotary engine, the combination of two'or more intermeshing andengaging rotors,-shafts secured in said rotors and rotatably mounted insuitable bearings, each of said rotors having a plurality of righthandspirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at one end thereof andextending toward the center of said rotors and a plurality of left-handspirally disposed tooth. blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at the opposite endthereof and extending toward the center of said rotors, the inner endportions of each of said tooth blades making a less angle with the axesof said rotors than the remaining portions, said tooth blades being soformed that when they meet and join near the center of each of saidrotors, they form a plurality of angular pockets, and a fluid inletprovided with a plurality of ports, said ports being so arranged thatthe admission of the fluid under pressure into any one of said angularpockets is out off by the succeeding pocket before the said firstmentioned pocket has developed its full volume.

14. In a rotary engine, the combination of'two or more intermeshing andengaging rotors, shafts secured in said rotors and rotatably mounted insuitable bearings, each of said rotors having a plurality of righthandspirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plurality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at one end thereofand'extending toward the center of said rotors and a plurality ofleft-hand spirally disposed tooth blades starting from a plus rality ofcircumferential points on said rotors located at the opposite endthereof and extending toward the center of said rotors, the inner endportions of each of said tooth blades making a less angle with the axesof said rotors than the remainin portions, said right-hand and left-handsplrally disposed tooth blades of one rotor meshin respectively, withsaid left-hand and right-hand spirallv disposed tooth blades of anotherrotor, whereby buckets are formed between the meshin tooth blades ofsaid rotors, and a? rib exten ing substantially parallel to the axes ofsaid rotors and in contact with the perimeters of said rotors for atleast a portion of their peripheries, said rib being prorot/ oes videdwith a plurality of ports for conducting fluid under pressure to saidbuckets, said ports being so arranged that the admission of fluid underpressure into any pair of tooth blades formin a bucket, is cut ofi bythe tooth blades orming the succeeding bucket before the first mentionedtooth,

blades have developed their full capacity. In testimony whereof, I havehereunto signed my name in the presence of two sub scribing witnesses.JOHNHERBEBI VAN DEVENTER.

Witnesses:

J. WM. Ennis, WALTER H. KELLEY.

